Since its launch in 2009, ABC3 has been the home of trusted, quality content for school aged children and their families and has constantly evolved to reflect and respond to its audience.

Now, in its biggest evolution yet, ABC3 will transform into ABC ME on September 19, a complete digital and broadcast service designed to reflect and celebrate the lives, interests and diversity of young Australians.

Developed with primary school children and their families, ABC ME will build on the success of ABC3. Quality short and long form Australian content, and the best international programming selected for an Australian audience, will be delivered via a dedicated broadcast channel and new app that can be personalised by the user.

ABC ME embraces the experiences of Australian school aged children. Brand new programs, including weekly pop culture review show News to Me, sci-fi action animation series Prisoner Zero and short-form documentary series This Is Me will sit alongside returning audience favourites including, Nowhere Boys, You’re Skitting Me, Little Lunch, Good Game SP and Behind the News. Additionally, new strands of short form content will provide children and their families unique opportunities to express their ideas, share their opinions and have their voice reflected back at them.

The new name got the thumbs up from children, and their families, looking for trusted content about their community, their life, their family and their friends. ABC ME will help show (but never tell) Australian kids where they fit in the world today.

The ABC ME app, designed specifically for and with school aged children, and with an optional parent section, will offer Australian families control over the content that is right for them.

Richard Finlayson, ABC Director of Television, says, “We’ve been listening to our young audiences and it’s clear that they want flexibility, mobility and control. In the past 12 months we’ve seen an extraordinary uptake of kids programming on our digital platforms. In 2016, 78% of ABC3 online program plays were viewed via a mobile device. Families who have children aged 4-12 in the home are 28% more likely than average to watch TV/Video on a mobile device. Such insights are at the heart of ABC ME and continue to inform our ongoing commitment to today’s digitally savvy Australian audience.”

ABC ME, on broadcast and digital, will come to life on September 19 (channel 23 on free to air and Channel 723 on Foxtel). Further details of the app will be announced on September 19.

Do you agree with this article? Think you know your TV? Well, show us. We're on the hunt for talented and knowledgeable writers to provide content for DeciderTV. If you think you have what it takes, Let us know.